CHILDREN'S VISION

Vision Screenings are No Substitute for a Complete Vision examination

Although your child may have passed a vision screening in school recently, it should not be assumed that his or her vision is completely trouble-free. A typical vision screening relies on the familiar eye chart; this test measures how well your child sees at distance. Be aware - 20/20 does not mean perfect vision. A 20/20 score means that a person can see at 20 feet what he or she should be able to see at that distance. But that is only one of many vision skills. Even though a child may pass this typical eye-chart test, he or she may not be able to clearly see the words in a textbook. As a result, reading problems may develop that can ultimately affect the child's school achievement. Adults also need to see clearly close up, use their eyes as a team, change focus properly judge depth, be aware of movement in the periphery, and more. Many different tests are administered during a thorough eye examination to be sure all of these vision skills are working properly. lo help encourage proper visual development in your child, give your toddler blocks, simple puzzles, toy pots and pans, stacking rings, string beads, bean bags and ring-toss games to help the child develop vision skills. Preschoolers can benefit from finger paints, modeling clay, simple sewing cards and drawing materials to help develop vision skills. This is also a good time for a complete examination to be sure your child's vision is developing properly due to the stress school work places on the visual system.

HOW CAN I TELL IF MY CHILD IN HAVING TROUBLE SEEING?

The only sure way is by having your child's vision thouroughly examined. Yet, there are signs that may indicate it is time to make an appointment with us for that examination. Consistently sitting too close to the television, preferring reading to outdoor activities or squinting when looking at something far away are all signs of vision problems. Others are frequent scowling, blinking, rubbing of the eyes, consistent clumsiness, poor eye-hand coordination, a short attention span for the child's age, covering one eye or tilting the head when reading; complaints of nausea, dizziness or headaches after reading or doing other close work. The ideal way to protect your child's vision is to schedule vision examinations annually and not wait for trouble signs.